OUR TOPIC IS ‘SCOPE, FUNCTIONS, OBJECTIVES,

SELECTION AND TRAINING OF PR STAFF’

1 ) What Is The Difference Between Public Relations And Corporate Communications?

Public is someone who is PUBLICLY available and will basically get anyone or thing noticed
and sold, while corporate communications is something that has something to do specifically
with the companies they are dealing in or specializing in. In corporate market you have a
target audience.

2) What Is Public Relations?

Public Relations (PR) is basically the art of establishing contact between associations and its
main publics to assemble, direct and maintain an accurate image. Though the industry is extensively
criticised for its readiness to lie and deceive the general public for the welfare of the companies it
represents, it continues to be a highly paid profession.

Many Corporations put to use marketing public relation (MPR) to communicate information about the
goods they produce or the services they offer to keen customers to sustain their direct sales efforts.
Similarly the also give support sales on short and long term basis, setting up and polishing the
corporation's product for a strong market.

Public relations are also used as a way to reach and be in touch with politicians and legislators.
Politicians generally use public relations to draw votes and raise funds.

3) What Are The Basic Objectives Of Public Relations Departments?

In any institution a Public Relations Department is perhaps the most critical. Why?
It's sole purpose is to make clients happy:...treat them like a member of the family

Give advise nd information about the Company and it must always be correct information
Always try to ensure that the client does not have to return for the same reason which caused them
the first visit
Share a cup of coffee
If lines are long, make sure to ensure that all clients feel you are doing the best to help them as
quickly as possible.
Depending on the nature of the Company/Office a good joke might ease the tension of waiting.

Public relations involves the cultivation of favorable relations for organizations and products
with its key publics through the use of a variety of communications channels and tools.
Traditionally, this meant public relations professionals would work with members of the
news media to build a favorable image by publicizing the organization or product through
stories in print and broadcast media. But today the role of public relations is much broader
and includes:

• building awareness and a favorable image for a company or client within stories and
articles found in relevant media outlets
• closely monitoring numerous media channels for public comment about a company
and its products
• managing crises that threaten company or product image
• building goodwill among an organization’s target market through community,
philanthropic and special programs and events

In this tutorial most of our focus is on how public relations supports marketing by building
product and company image (sometimes referred to as publicity). Yet, it should be noted
that there are other stakeholders companies reached via the public relations function, such
as employees and non-target market groups. Favorable media coverage about a company
or product often reaches these audiences as well and may offer potential benefit to the
marketer.

Finally, in most large companies, investor relations (IR) or financial public relations is a
specialty in itself guided by specific disclosure regulations. However, coverage of this type
of PR will not be provided here.

Public relations (PR) is a field concerned with maintaining a public image for businesses, non-profit
organizations or high-profile people, such as celebrities and politicians.

An earlier definition of public relations, by The first World Assembly of Public Relations Associations held
in Mexico City in August 1978, was "the art and social science of analyzing trends, predicting their
consequences, counseling organizational leaders, and implementing planned programs of action, which
will serve both the organization and the public interest." [1]

Others define it as the practice of managing communication between an organization and its publics.
[2]
Public relations provides an organization or individual exposure to their audiences using topics of public
interest and news items that provide a third-party endorsement[3]and do not direct payment.[4] Once
common activities include speaking at conferences, working with the media, crisis communications,social
media engagement[5], and employee communication.
The European view of public relations notes that besides a relational form of interactivity there is also a
reflective paradigm that is concerned with publics and the public sphere; not only with relational, which
can in principle be private, but also with public consequences of organizational behaviour [6][2]. A much
broader view of neo-ubiquitous interactive communication using the Internet, as outlined by Phillips and
Young in Online Public Relations Second Edition (2009), describes the form and nature of Internet-
mediated public relations. It encompasses social media and other channels for communication and many
platforms for communication such as personal computers(PCs), mobile phones and video game
consoles with Internet access.

Public relations is used to build rapport with employees, customers, investors, voters, or the general
public.[7] Almost any organization that has a stake in how it is portrayed in the public arena employs some
level of public relations. There are a number of public relations disciplines falling under the banner
of corporate communications, such as analyst relations, media relations, investor relations, internal
communicationsand labor relations.

Other public relations disciplines include:

 Financial public relations - providing information mainly to business reporters

 Consumer/lifestyle public relations - gaining publicity for a particular product or service, rather
than using advertising
 Crisis public relations - responding to negative accusations or information
 Industry relations - providing information to trade bodies
 Government relations - engaging government departments to influence policymaking

Contents
[hide]

• 1 Status of the industry

• 2 Methods, tools and tactics

o 2.1 Tools

o 2.2 Targeting publics

o 2.3 Lobby groups

o 2.4 Spin

 2.4.1 Spin doctors

o 2.5 Other

• 3 Politics and civil society

o 3.1 Defining the opponent

 o 3.2 Managing language

o 3.3 Conveying the message

• 4 Front groups

• 5 See also

• 6 References

• 7 Further reading

• 8 External links

[edit]Status of the industry

The practice of public relations is spread widely. On the professional level, there is an organization
called Public Relations Society of America(PRSA), the world's largest public relations organization. PRSA
is a community of more than 21,000 professionals that works to advance the skill set of public relations.
PRSA also fosters a national student organization called Public Relations Student Society of America
(PRSSA).

In the USA, public relations professionals earn an average annual salary of $49,800 which compares with
£40,000 for a practitioner with a similar job in the UK [3]. Top earners bring home around $89,220
annually, while entry-level public relations specialists earn around $28,080. Corporate, or in-house
communications is generally more profitable, and communications executives can earn salaries in the mid
six-figures, though this only applies to a fraction of the sector's workforce.[8]

The role of public relations professionals is changing because of the shift from traditional to online media.
Many Propaganda professionals are reskilling and looking at how social media can impact a brand's
reputation.[9]

[edit]Methods, tools and tactics

It has been suggested that Negative public relations be merged into this article or section.
(Discuss)

Public relations and publicity are not synonymous, but many public relations campaigns include
provisions for publicity. Publicity is the spreading of information to gain public awareness for a product,
person, service, cause or organization, and can be seen as a result of effective public relations planning.
More recently in public relations, professionals are using technology as their main tool to get their
messages to target audiences. With the creation of social networks, blogs, and even Internet radio public
relations professionals are able to send direct messages through these mediums that attract the target
audiences. Methods used to find out what is appealing to target audiences include the use of surveys,
conducting research or even focus groups. Tactics are the ways to attract target audiences by using the
information gathered about that audience and directing a message to them using tools such as social
mediums or other technology. Another emerging theme is the application of psychological theories
of impression management[10].

[edit]Tools

There are various tools that can be used in the practice of public relations. Traditional tools include press
releases and media kits which are sent out to generate positive press on behalf of the organization. Other
widely-used tools include brochures, newsletters and annual reports. Increasingly, companies are utilizing
interactive social media outlets, such as

 Blogs,
 Twitter and
 Facebook,

as tools in their public relations campaigns. Unlike the traditional tools which allowed for only one-way
communication, social media outlets allow the organization to engage in two-way communication, and
receive immediate feedback from their various stakeholders and publics. Furthermore companies can join
discussions with multiple user identities to create a positive image of the company (e.g. quantity of
positive statements from different users). PR tools have changed so much that some are even suggesting
the traditional press release may be dead.[11] The company PR tools have to operate in networks, where
their clients are.

One of the most popular and traditional tools used by public relations professionals is a press kit, also
known as a media kit. A press kit is usually a folder that consists of promotional materials that give
information about an event, organization, business, or even a person. What are included would be
backgrounders or biographies, fact sheets, press releases (or media releases), media
alerts, brochures, newsletters,photographs with captions, copies of any media clips, and social mediums.
With the way that the industry has changed, many organizations may have a website with a link, "Press
Room" which would have online versions of these documents.

[edit]Targeting publics
A fundamental technique used in public relations is to identify the target audience, and to tailor every
message to appeal to that audience. It can be a general, nationwide or worldwide audience, but it is more
often a segment of a population. A good elevator pitch can help tailor messaging to each target
audience. Marketers often refer to socio-economically-driven "demographics", such as "black males 18-
49". However, in public relations an audience is more fluid, being whoever someone wants to reach. Or,
in the new paradigm of value based networked social groups, the values based social segment could be a
trending audience. For example, recent political audiences seduce such buzzword monikers as "soccer
moms" and "NASCAR dads."

An alternative and less flexible, more simplistic, approach uses stakeholders theory to identify people who
have a stake in a given institution or issue. All audiences are stakeholders (or presumptive stakeholders),
but not all stakeholders are audiences. For example, if a charity commissions a public relations agency to
create an advertising campaign to raise money to find a cure for a disease, the charity and the people
with the disease are stakeholders, but the audience is anyone who is likely to donate money.

Sometimes the interests of differing audiences and stakeholders common to a public relations effort
necessitate the creation of several distinct but complementary messages. This is not always easy to do,
and sometimes, especially in politics, a spokesperson or client says something to one audience that
creates dissonance with another audience or group of stakeholders.

[edit]Lobby groups
Lobby groups are established to influence government policy, corporate policy, or public opinion. An
example of this is the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which influences
American foreign policy. Such groups claim to represent a particular interest and in fact are dedicated to
doing so. When a lobby group hides its true purpose and support base, it is known as a front group.
Moreover, governments may also lobby public relations firms in order to sway public opinion. A well
illustrated example of this is the way civil war in Yugoslavia was portrayed. Governments of the newly
seceeded republics of Croatia and Bosnia, as well as Serbia invested heavily with UK and American
public relations firms, so that they would give them a positive war image in the USA.[12]

[edit]Spin
Main article: Spin (public relations)

In public relations, spin is sometimes a pejorative term signifying a heavily biased portrayal in specific
favour of an event or situation. While traditional public relations may also rely on creative presentation of
the facts, spin often, though not always, implies disingenuous, deceptive and/or
highly manipulative tactics. Politicians are often accused of spin by commentators and political opponents
when they produce a counterargument or position.

The techniques of spin include selectively presenting facts and quotes that support ideal positions (cherry
picking), the so-called "non-denial denial", phrasing that in a way presumes unproven
truths, euphemisms for drawing attention away from items considered distasteful, and ambiguity in public
statements. Another spin technique involves careful choice of timing in the release of certain news so it
can take advantage of prominent events in the news. A famous reference to this practice occurred when
British Government press officer Jo Mooreused the phrase "It's now a very good day to get out anything
we want to bury", (widely paraphrased or misquoted as "It's a good day to bury bad news"), in an email
sent on the day of the September 11, 2001 attacks. The furor caused when this email was reported in the
press eventually caused her to resign.
[edit]Spin doctors

Skilled practitioners of spin are sometimes called "spin doctors", despite the negative connotation
associated with the term. Perhaps the best-known person in the UK often described as a "spin doctor"
is Alastair Campbell, who was involved with Tony Blair's public relations between 1994 and 2003, and
also played a controversial role as press relations officer to the British and Irish Lions rugby union side
during their 2005 tour of New Zealand.[citation needed]

State-run media in many countries also engage in spin by selectively allowing news stories that are
favorable to the government while censoring anything that could be considered critical. They may also
use propaganda to indoctrinate or actively influence citizens' opinions. Privately run media may also use
the same techniques of "issue" versus "non-issue" to spin its particular political viewpoints.

[edit]Other

 Publicity events, pseudo-events, photo ops or publicity stunts

 Talk show circuit: a public relations spokesperson, or the client, "does the circuit" by being
interviewed on television and radio talk shows with audiences that the client wishes to reach
 Books and other writings
 Blogs
 After a public relations practitioner has been working in the field for a while, he or she
accumulates a list of contacts in the media and elsewhere in the public affairs sphere. This "Rolodex"
becomes a prized asset, and job announcements sometimes even ask for candidates with an existing
Rolodex, especially those in the media relations area of public relations.
 Direct communication (carrying messages directly to constituents, rather than through the mass
media) with, e.g., newsletters – in print and e-letters
 Collateral literature, traditionally in print and now predominantly as web sites
 Speeches to constituent groups and professional organizations; receptions; seminars, and other
events; personal appearances
 The slang term for a public relations practitioner or publicist is a "flack" (sometimes spelled "flak")
 A desk visit is where the public relations person literally takes their product to the desk of the
journalist in order to show them emerging promotions
 Astroturfing is the act of public relations agencies placing blog and online forum messages for
their clients, in the guise of a normal "grassroots" user or comment (an illegal practice across the
larger practice areas such as the European Union)
  Online social media and Internet mediated public relations practices

[edit]Politics and civil society

[edit]Defining the opponent
In the USA, but not in the larger public relations markets, the tactic known as "defining one's opponent" is
used in political campaigns. Opponents can be candidates, organizations and other groups of people.

In the 2004 US presidential campaign, Howard Dean defined John Kerry as a "flip-flopper," which was
widely reported and repeated by the media, particularly the conservative media. Similarly, George H.W.
Bush characterized Michael Dukakis as weak on crime (the Willie Hortonad) and hopelessly liberal ("a
card-carrying member of the ACLU"). In 1996, President Bill Clinton seized upon opponent Bob Dole's
promise to take America back to a simpler time, promising in contrast to "build a bridge to the 21st
century." This painted Dole as a person who was somehow opposed to progress.

In the debate over abortion, self-titled pro-choice groups, by virtue of their name, defined their opponents
as "anti-choice", while self-titled pro-life groups refer to their opponents as "pro-abortion" or "anti-life".

[edit]Managing language
If, in the USA, a politician or organization can use an apt phrase in relation to an issue in interviews or
news releases, the news media will often repeat it verbatim, without questioning its aptness. This
perpetuates both the message and whatever preconceptions might underlie it. Often, something that
sounds innocuous can stand in for something greater; a "culture of life" sounds like general goodwill to
most people, but will evoke opposition to abortion for many pro-life advocates. The phrase "States' rights"
was used as a code for anti-civil rights legislation in the United States in the 1960s, and allegedly in the
1970s and 1980s.

[edit]Conveying the message

The means by which a message is communicated can be as important as the message itself. Direct
mail, robocalling, advertising and public speaking are commonly used depending upon the intended
audience and the message that is conveyed. Press releases are also used, but since
many newspapers are folding in the USA, they have become a less reliable way of communicating for
American practitioners, and other methods have become more popular.

In the USA and India, news organizations have begun to rely more on their own websites and have
developed a variety of unique approaches to publicity and public relations, on and off the web.[13]

Israel has employed a series of Web 2.0 initiatives which are indicative of how a small nation can use
internet mediated communication. Israel's initiative in 2008 included a blog,[14] MySpace page,
[15]
YouTube channel,[16] Facebook page[17] and a political blog to reach different audiences.[18] The Israeli
Ministry of Foreign Affairs started the country's video blog as well as its political blog.[18] The Foreign
Ministry held the first microblogging press conference via Twitter about its war with Hamas,
with Consul David Saranga answering live questions from a worldwide public in common text-messaging
abbreviations.[19] The questions and answers were later posted on IsraelPolitik, the country's
official political blog.[20]

[edit]Front groups
One of the most controversial practices in public relations is the use of front groups, organizations that
purport to serve a public cause while actually serving the interests of a client whose sponsorship may be
obscured or concealed. Critics of the public relations industry, such asPR Watch, contend that some
public relations firms involve a "multi-billion dollar propaganda-for-hire industry" that "concocts and spins
the news, organizes phony grassroots front groups, spies on citizens, and conspires
with lobbyists and politicians to thwart democracy." [21]

Instances with the use of front groups as a public relations technique have been documented in many
industries. Coal mining corporations have created "environmental groups" that contend that
increased carbon dioxide emissions and global warming will contribute to plant growth and will be
beneficial, trade groups for bars have created and funded citizens' groups to attack anti-alcohol
groups, tobacco companies have created and funded citizens' groups to advocate for tort reform and to
attack personal injury lawyers, while trial lawyers have created "consumer advocacy" front groups to
oppose tort reform.[citation needed]

Advantages of Public Relations

Public relations offers several advantages not found with other promotional options. First,
PR is often considered a highly credible form of promotion. One of PR’s key points of power
rests with helping to establish credibility for a product, company or person (e.g., CEO) in the
minds of targeted customer groups by capitalizing on the influence of a third-party -- the
media. Audiences view many media outlets as independent-party sources that are unbiased
in their coverage, meaning that the decision to include the name of the company and the
views expressed about the company is not based on payment (i.e., advertisement) but on
the media outlet’s judgment of what is important. For example, a positive story about a new
product in the business section of a local newspaper may have greater impact on readers
than a full-page advertisement for the product since readers perceive the news media as
presenting an impartial perspective of the product.
Second, a well-structured PR campaign can result in the target market being exposed to
more detailed information than they receive with other forms of promotion. That is, media
sources often provide more space and time for explanation of a product.

Third, depending on the media outlet, a story mentioning a company may be picked up by a
large number of additional media, thus, spreading a single story to many locations.

Finally, in many cases public relations objectives can be achieved at very low cost when
compared to other promotional efforts. This is not to suggest public relations is not costly, it
may be, especially when a marketer hires PR professionals to handle the work. But when
compared to the direct cost of other promotions, in particular advertising, the return on
promotional expense can be quite high.

Disadvantages of Public Relations

While public relations holds many advantages for marketers, there are also concerns when
using this promotional technique. First, while public relations uses many of the same
channels as advertising, such as newspapers, magazines, radio, TV and Internet, it differs
significantly from advertising in that marketers do not have direct control over whether a
message is delivered and where it is placed for delivery. For instance, a marketer may
spend many hours talking with a magazine writer, who is preparing an industry story, only to
find that their company is never mentioned in the article.

Second, while other promotional messages are carefully crafted and distributed as written
through a pre-determined placement in a media vehicle, public relations generally conveys
information to a member of the news media (e.g., reporter) who then recrafts the
information as part of a news story or feature. Thus, the final message may not be precisely
what the marketer planned.

Third, while a PR campaign has the potential to yield a high return on promotional expense,
it also has the potential to produce the opposite if the news media feels there is little value
in running a story pitched (i.e., suggested via communication with the news outlet) by the
marketer.

Fourth, with PR there is always a chance that a well devised news event or release will get
“bumped” from planned media coverage because of a more critical breaking news story,
such as wars, severe weather or serious crime.
Finally, in some areas of the world the impact of traditional news outlets is fading forcing
public relations professionals to scramble to find new ways to reach their target markets.

The Benefits of Public Relations

The benefits of a good PR Program

A well run Public Relations program has multiple benefits and can have a far greater impact than other
marketing methods because it carries a message of implied endorsement by the media. When
stakeholders read, see, or hear the editorial or news coverage it creates a credibility factor unmatched by
any other promotional strategy.

Here are few benefits to consider:

Higher Valuation
When you gain visibility - you gain credibility - This credibility creates a good will for your brand. This
brand value is reflected in a higher valuation in private markets and in the public circles with shareholders
for both private and institutional investors.

Access to Capital
As institutions are always searching for investment opportunities, when you "rise above the noise" you will
get more interest in your business.

Shareholder Visibility
Many organizations go through peaks and valleys in their business over time and when the publicity
machine is working well, you gain the attention of past, current and future shareholders.

Attract New Customers

Wouldn't it be great to have clients knocking on your door for a change? The visibility you gain to this
target audience has a direct correlation to revenue - if more doors are opened by your PR program - more
business will be gained.

Channel Visibility
As you grow your channel - credibility is paramount. If a potential channel partner has heard of you in a
positive light - they are more likely to give you an audience to see if mutually rewarding opportunities
exist. Finding good channel partners can be as competitive as finding new clients. The channel wants to
align with a good brand in order to make their selling job easier.

Industry Visibility
Getting the attention of your competition can create excellent opportunities for partnerships and can
identify potential acquisition targets either as buyers or sellers. In addition, the credibility you gain through
your industry visibility will eventually lead to Industry analyst coverage which again creates more integrity
for your firm.
Staff benefits
The battle for talent will be the next great challenge for business. Never underestimate the power of good
PR when attracting a new workforce and retaining existing staff. Employees want to feel proud of where
they work and the more they see positive publicity, the more it justifies their decision that they are with a
great company.

Good PR begets good PR

The media are essentially competing for stories and the more visible you are the more media you will
attract.

Can You Define Public Relations.write Down Differences Between Public Relations And
Advertisements?

Public relations is the management of perceptions and opinions,through communication ,by both
internal and external stakeholders. The difference is thatpublic relations deal with public opinion and
the image of an organisation while advertising is communication used to reach a certain public

Basic Definitions: Advertising, Marketing,

Promotion, Public Relations and Publicity, and
Sales
Entered by Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD

It's easy to become confused about these terms: advertising, marketing, promotion, public
relations and publicity, and sales. The terms are often used interchangeably. However, they
refer to different -- but similar activities. Some basic definitions are provided below. A short
example is also provided hopefully to help make the terms more clear to the reader.

One Definition of Advertising

Advertising is bringing a product (or service) to the attention of potential and current
customers. Advertising is focused on one particular product or service. Thus, an advertising
plan for one product might be very different than that for another product. Advertising is
typically done with signs, brochures, commercials, direct mailings or e-mail messages,
personal contact, etc.

One Definition of Promotion

Promotion keeps the product in the minds of the customer and helps stimulate demand for
the product. Promotion involves ongoing advertising and publicity (mention in the press).
The ongoing activities of advertising, sales and public relations are often considered aspects
of promotions.
One Definition of Marketing
Marketing is the wide range of activities involved in making sure that you're continuing to
meet the needs of your customers and getting value in return. Marketing is usually focused
on one product or service. Thus, a marketing plan for one product might be very different
than that for another product. Marketing activities include "inbound marketing," such as
market research to find out, for example, what groups of potential customers exist, what
their needs are, which of those needs you can meet, how you should meet them, etc.
Inbound marketing also includes analyzing the competition, positioning your new product or
service (finding your market niche), and pricing your products and services. "Outbound
marketing" includes promoting a product through continued advertising, promotions, public
relations and sales.

One Definition of Public relations

Public relations includes ongoing activities to ensure the overall company has a strong public
image. Public relations activities include helping the public to understand the company and
its products. Often, public relations are conducted through the media, that is, newspapers,
television, magazines, etc. As noted above, public relations is often considered as one of the
primary activities included in promotions.

One Definition of Publicity

Publicity is mention in the media. Organizations usually have little control over the message
in the media, at least, not as they do in advertising. Regarding publicity, reporters and
writers decide what will be said.

One Definition of Sales

Sales involves most or many of the following activities, including cultivating prospective
buyers (or leads) in a market segment; conveying the features, advantages and benefits of
a product or service to the lead; and closing the sale (or coming to agreement on pricing
and services). A sales plan for one product might be very different than that for another
product.

An Example of the Definitions

The following example may help to make the above five concepts more clear. I recently
read that the story comes from the Reader's Digest, a quote found in "Promoting Issues and
Ideas" by M. Booth and Associates, Inc. (Thanks to Jennifer M. Seher, participant in the
CONSULTANTS@CHARITYCHANNEL.COM online discussion group.)

"... if the circus is coming to town and you paint a sign saying 'Circus Coming to the
Fairground Saturday', that's advertising. If you put the sign on the back of an elephant
and walk it into town, that's promotion. If the elephant walks through the mayor's flower
bed, that's publicity. And if you get the mayor to laugh about it, that's public relations."
If the town's citizens go the circus, you show them the many entertainment booths, explain
how much fun they'll have spending money at the booths, answer their questions and
ultimately, they spend a lot at the circus, that's sales.

Six Steps to Developing Your Public Relations and

Media Plan
By Laura Lake, About.com Guide
• Step 1: Define and write down your objectives for
your publicity or media plan.

How will you design your public relations campaign?

Will it be designed to:

 Establish your expertise among your peers, the

press, or your potential clients or customers?
 Build goodwill among your customer, supplier, or
your community?
 Create and reinforce your brand and professional
corporate image?
 Inform and create good perceptions regarding
your company and services?
 Assist you in introducing a new service or
product to your market?
 Generate sales or leads?
 Mitigate the impact of negative publicity and/or
corporate crisis?

You may be wondering why I am asking you these

things at the beginning of a tutorial that is supposed to
show you how to create and your develop publicity
plan? The answer is easy. In order for your publicity and
media plan to be successful it's first most important to
determine and define your objective. With a clear
objective in mind you have laid the ground work to the
complete the remainder of this tutorial.
• Step 2: Define your goals in achieving this objective.
It is important that your goals be specific, measurable,
results-oriented and time-bound. These goals must be
in-line with your overall business, marketing, and sales
objectives.
• Step 3: Determine who your target audience
consists of. Who is it that you want to reach with this
campaign? What do you want your key message to be?
• Step 4: Develop a schedule for your public relation
campaigns. Create synergy by coinciding your public
relations plan with other marketing and sales efforts.
• Step 5: Develop your plan of attack. What
communication vehicles will you use to get your
message to the public? Examples may include:
 Press releases
 Articles
 Customer Success Stories
 Letters to the Editor
 Press Conferences, Interview, or Media Tours
 Radio, Television, or Press Interviews
 Seminars or Speaking Engagements
 Event Sponsorships

Select three from the list and beginning researching

and developing your approach.

• Step 6: Put measures in place to track the results of

your PR Campaign. After each campaign sit down and
review the results. Did you achieve the defined
objectives and goals of this campaign? Should you
consider modifying your original plan? If so, how and
why?
Disadvantages of Public Relations
While public relations holds many advantages for marketers, there are also concerns when
using this promotional technique. First, while public relations uses many of the same
channels as advertising, such as newspapers, magazines, radio, TV and Internet, it differs
significantly from advertising in that marketers do not have direct control over whether a
message is delivered and where it is placed for delivery. For instance, a marketer may
spend many hours talking with a magazine writer, who is preparing an industry story, only to
find that their company is never mentioned in the article.

Second, while other promotional messages are carefully crafted and distributed as written
through a pre-determined placement in a media vehicle, public relations generally conveys
information to a member of the news media (e.g., reporter) who then recrafts the
information as part of a news story or feature. Thus, the final message may not be precisely
what the marketer planned.

Third, while a PR campaign has the potential to yield a high return on promotional expense,
it also has the potential to produce the opposite if the news media feels there is little value
in running a story pitched (i.e., suggested via communication with the news outlet) by the
marketer.

Fourth, with PR there is always a chance that a well devised news event or release will get
“bumped” from planned media coverage because of a more critical breaking news story,
such as wars, severe weather or serious crime.

Finally, in some areas of the world the impact of traditional news outlets is fading forcing
public relations professionals to scramble to find new ways to reach their target markets.

Objectives of Public Relations

Like other aspects of marketing promotion, public relations is used to address several broad
objectives including:

• Building Product Awareness – When introducing a new product or relaunching an

existing product, marketers can use a PR element that generates consumer attention
and awareness through media placements and special events.
• Creating Interest – Whether a PR placement is a short product article or is included
with other products in “round up” article, stories in the media can help entice a
 targeted audience to try the product. For example, around the holiday season, a
special holiday food may be promoted with PR through promotional releases sent to
the food media or through special events that sample the product.
• Providing Information – PR can be used to provide customers with more in depth
information about products and services. Through articles, collateral materials,
newsletters and websites, PR delivers information to customers that can help them
gain understanding of the product.
• Stimulating Demand – A positive article in a newspaper, on a TV news show or
mentioned on the Internet, often results in a discernable increase in product sales.
• Reinforcing the Brand – In many companies the public relations function is also
involved with brand reinforcement by maintaining positive relationships with key
audiences, and thereby aiding in building a strong image. Today it is ever more
important for companies and brands to build a good image. A strong image helps the
company build its business and it can help the company in times of crises as well.

Key Public Relations Tools

Marketers have at their disposal several tools for carrying out public relations. The key tools
available for PR include:

• Media Relations
• Media Tours
• Newsletters
• Special Events
• Speaking Engagements
• Sponsorships
• Employee Relations
• Community Relations and Philanthropy

Before choosing among the various tools marketers should begin by identifying their
targeted audiences (e.g., target markets) and key messages they wish to send. These
should align with the messages and audiences identified for the product being promoted or
corporate goals for non-specific product promotions, such as corporate image promotions.

The key messages are used in the development of public relations materials and supporting
programs described below. The purpose of key messages is to provide a consistent point of
view over time and across numerous PR methods that reinforce product positioning (i.e.,
customer's perceptions) and reach the desired target audience.
Each of the PR tools listed above is discussed in detail in our tutorialTypes of Public
Relations Tools.

Additional PR Activities
In addition to serving as means for helping to achieve marketing objectives, public relations
professionals may undertake additional activities, aimed at maintaining a positive image for
an organization. These activities include:

Market Monitoring
Monitoring public comment about a company and its products is becoming increasingly
important especially with the explosion of information channels on the Internet. Today
monitoring includes watching what is written and reported in traditional print and broadcast
media and also keeping an eye on discussions occurring through various Internet outlets
such as forums, chatrooms, blogs and other public messaging areas. Marketers must be
prepared to respond quickly to erroneous information and negative opinions about products
as it can spin out of control very quickly through the new technology channels. Failure to
correct misinformation can be devastating to a product or company’s reputation. It should
be noted that specialized monitoring services can be contracted to help companies keep
track of “buzz” about the company and its products.

Crisis Management
Marketers need to be prepared to respond quickly to negative information about the
company. When a problem with a product arises — in fact or substantiated only by rumor —
a marketer’s investment in a product and brand can be in serious jeopardy. Today, with the
prevalence of the Internet and wireless communications, negative information can spread
rapidly. Through monitoring marketers can track the issues and respond in a timely fashion.
To manage response effectively, many companies have crises management plans in place
that outline steps to take and company spokespeople to speak on behalf of the company
should an event occur.

Functions
Depending on the field of the organization, PR Department builds its workflow according to
assigned functions. Basically, the workflow involves performance of several major functions such
as Publications and Periodicals, Marketing and Advertising, Media Relations, and Organizing
Events and Internal Communication within the company. Let's briefly consider each of the
functions.

1. Publications and Periodicals

Each year organizations which have PR Department within their structure spend thousands of Play Demo
dollars to produce publications and post articles in periodicals. This is a function of PR
Department. In cooperation with graphic design services it organizes production of publications
range from simple black-white or colored papers to art and design productions. PR Department
controls event calendar and makes month schedules for most publications, but some publications
can be in production to several months before completion. Once the publications are completed,
News Bureau Editor watches them and makes revisions if necessary to proceed with periodical
appearance. VIP Task Manager all tools needed for this function: task attachment as links or
files, Calendar which allows to make event schedules and task lists arranged by
daily/weekly/monthly view, etc.

2. Marketing and Advertising

The Public Relations Office takes part in organizing of marketing campaigns and placing advertisements. It has
Marketing&Advertising Manager who works over the program to develop a marketing plan or a media plan in order to
promote an event as well as increase the number of readers of the newsletters and news releases. The Department
works with a number of specialized marketing and advertising agencies on a regular basis and works out complex
marketing packages that often include publications, advertising materials, special events and news releases. VIP Task
Manager allows to optimize the marketing and advertising operations within the Department by using templates and
checklists, which step by step describe actions of organization for marketing campaign and placing of advertisement in
periodicals.

3. Media Relations

Much publicity about the organization is gained through news releases. The PR Department establishes and maintains
relations with media. When an event is held by the organization and news release needs to be issued about this event,
Assistant Director of Public Relations assigns employees to write an appropriate release and bring it to the target
audience. Assistant develops releases schedule and sets deadlines prior to the event. He arranges writers to prepare
the release and translators to translate it into appropriate languages for the web newsletters. When the release is ready
for publication, The Department negotiates with media and promotes the release to the appropriate audience. VIP Task
Manager helps Assistant Director to increase his productivity by creating personal to-do lists and making agendas for
appointments with journalists. VIP Task Manager makes it easer to plan events by adding contact information and
conference details in the to-do list.

4. Participation in Exhibitions, Fairs, Conferences

In order to make event releases and newsletters more suitable and attractable, The Public Relations Department
involves its employees in Participation in Exhibitions, Fairs, Conferences. Correspondents prepare reviews, write
reports, takes representative functions and other. The Department has also employees responsible for shooting
photographs and drawing pictures. Photographers and Designers get tasks to prepare photos about an event or create
an image for brochures to decorate news releases. Art Director controls their work, assigns tasks and makes revisions.
The Public Relations Office also cooperates with various art design studios which help decorate exhibitions,
conferences, parties, and other public events. By using VIP Task Manager, Correspondents, Photographers and
Designers can speed up their work by attaching articles, reviews, pictures, photos and drawings to directly the tasks.
Art Director will be able read the attached materials right in the task lists of his subordinates. PR Manager can create a
list of tasks which describes the steps for PR Specialists to arrange conferences, meetings, etc. For organization of
each the event there can be defined due dates, priorities, responsible employees, budget, etc.
5. Internal communication
Today, in organizations especially in medium and large companies the dissemination of
information among employees becomes important then ever. This gives possibilities for
development of internal communications, improvement of employee collaboration, and
strengthening of corporate culture. The PR Department is responsible for arrangement of
corporate meetings, conferences, parties, and other public events with participation of managers
and employees who work at the organization. The Department quickly disseminates information
and news to every employee across the entire company by means of electronic mail, online
newsletters, reports and press releases, online conferences, Intranet, etc. This helps to keep
employees and others on top of what is going on with the organization. It saves the organization
time, and it saves on production and distribution costs. PR Department can use VIP Task
Manager to organize corporate events and increase effectiveness of internal
communications. VIP Task Manager allows handling internal communications between
employees by sending comments on the tasks.

Functions Of Public Relations

Functions Of Public Relations
An organization's image can depend on the degree on the public's support its
organizational missions, strategies, and goals. Public relations professionals serve as
communicator between organization and its public. Public relations also provides
message and educate the public about the activities of an organization. The functions
of public relations can categorized as organizational or as societal.
Community Relations is a societal function of public relations. The relationship that
an organization has with its community can be vital to the success of that
organization. Organizations can interact with the community in numerous ways, from
participating in community activities to putting on events or through donations
successful organizations understand that their relationship with the surrounding
community is important.
Community relations are the functions of actively planning and participating with and
within a community for the benefit of the community and surrounding areas.

Activities within this category include community events, volunteer activities and co-sponsorship
opportunities with other community organizations. Community relations may also include
fundraising and development activities.
One focus of community relations programs is on the geographic area that is home to an
organization. Residents of the community, employees, voters, legislators, all of these groups make
up the increasingly diverse communities addressed by organizations and corporations.
"Cause marketing" is used by a growing number of companies to build public goodwill and
enhance the firm's image. Cause marketing is typically associated with public service activities that
have a wide-range public appeal. The best "causes" are those that everyone in the target markets
can embrace. These causes enhance the condition of life or the environment that virtually
everyone can support. Causes that battle cancer, pollution, child abuse, and support Special
Olympics events are...

PUBLIC RELATIONS FORUM

The public relations function
Public relations programmes encompass both marketing and corporate dimensions:
Marketing public relations is used in conventional marketing situations to influence
customers. As such, it forms part of the marketing communications mix which also
encompasses advertising, direct response, sales promotion and personal selling.
The principal decision to be made when formulating a marketing communication plan lies
between a push strategy and a pull strategy, or more likely the combination of the two.
• Push strategy: involves directing effort at intermediaries so that they are
motivated to direct their promotional effort at customers, thereby pushing the product
down the distribution channel.
• Pull strategy: involves aiming promotional activities at end users so that they
demand the product from intermediaries, thereby pulling the product down the
distribution channel.
Corporate public relations is used to influence customer and non- customers publics and is
particularly relevant in a marketing context when these publics have to be influenced in
order to gain market entry. An example of this is a pass strategy which has become
increasingly important as public and media attention focus not only on an organisation’s
products and services, but also its response to critical issues facing society at large:
• Pass strategy: applies when there is a need to enter markets blocked or
protected by parties other than end users; examples include government, pressure
groups, and other opinion formers, as well as employees
In reality most marketing communications campaigns use a mixture of both push and pull,
although emphasis might be placed on one strategy or the other. Frequently corporate
public relations will be employed in parallel to implement a pass strategy to address
markets where access is constrained either by non- customers target audiences or non-
product related issues. Examples might include a lobbying campaign to amend the
regulatory climate or an educational programme to overcome concerns over the
introduction of new technology.
• Public relations deliverables
• The public relations function
• The objectives of public relations
• Choosing and briefing your consultancy
• Public relations tactics

Scope

Scope and structure of public relations: a

technology driven view

,
Anne Gregory
Centre for Public Relations Studies, Leeds Business School, Leeds Metropolitan University,
 Room 209, Bronte Hall, Beckett Park Campus, Leeds LS6 3QS, UK
Received 7 October 2003;
Revised 23 April 2004;
accepted 1 May 2004.
Available online 28 July 2004.

Abstract
The Internet and electronic communication has transformed public relations. However, a
significant barrier in impeding further progress towards the free interchange of content, is the
incompatibilities that exist between the plethora of hardware and software systems.
XML (eXtensible Mark-up Language) is a universal computer mark-up language that overcomes
these barriers, but it has to be customised for each industry that seeks to use it. XPRL is the
public relations specific XML that is being developed by XPRL.Org, an industry-backed not-for-
profit organisation created specifically to undertake the task.
To develop XPRL, the industry has to have scoped and defined its processes so that they can be
fitted into a framework that denotes activity. This paper describes the work done by XPRL.Org in
this area

You have probably heard of the term public relations. You are aware that it
has something to do with protecting your business name, making it look
good in the public, and ensuring that it has a good reputation.

Public relation is common in almost all the industries today. Big corporations
consult PR professionals to come up with a good campaign that will make
them look good in the public.

You are probably wondering why hire a professional when it is common

sense that the public will love you if you are good. Yes, this is true. People
love supporting organizations with a good heart. However, how will the
public know if the organization has a good heart if they do not share their
goals, plans, and achievements to the public?

This is the task of the PR group. They have to make sure that the public sees
the good side of the organization. Aside from that, having a PR group offers
several advantages. Here are some of them:

1. Credibility is one of the major advantages of having a PR group. Unlike

advertisements that pay networks or billboards to show the promotional
items, PR builds an organization through stories. Stories that are true. PR
group uses the media as a channel to get the message through. Since most
customers perceived media as an independent party, they trust their
judgments and reviews.

2. It is long lasting. PR builds the credibility of the organization. As long as

the organization maintains their credibility, the name of the organization will
remain good in the eyes of the consumers. This means that they do not have
to post an ad to remind the public that they have high quality products. Just
the mention of their name, the customers immediately associates it with
quality.

3. Its cost is not as high. The amount you are going to shell out is very low
compared to the results you will generate from the campaign. Since it is long
lasting, you will benefit from it longer as well.

4. Customers will find the organization more interesting. Unlike in

advertising that only takes a few minutes, the PR efforts stir the interest of
the public. If they are able to read that the company cares for the
environment, they will check out their activities that prove the claim. If they
are having a grand recycling program, they will be able to generate support
from environmentalists.

5. It helps build the image of the organization. PR efforts do not only

concentrate on business segment of the organization. Its efforts are towards
the company as a whole. Because of this, the consumers will not only
patronize a single product from the company, but its whole line of items.

Surely, public relations offer several advantages. Its effects last longer.
Since this is the case, its cost is definitely lower than any form of
promotional tools. Aside from that, its campaigns are not only for one line of
product. It builds the credibility and reputation of the entire organization.

public relations in the UK

Based in central London, Spreckley Partners is one of the UK’s best known independent
PR consultancies with expert knowledge of consumer, b2b and IT markets.

Our clients range from major international companies and brands to smaller specialist businesses. All
receive the same focus on creativity, backed up by a commitment to results and first class client service.

We provide PR and much more - ranging from print, broadcast and online media campaigns to integrated
marketing communications and design, as required. Internationally, we can extend our campaigns to any
country through our local partners.

In a rapidly changing communications world, public relations is more integral to business success than
ever before. Spreckley Partners is dedicated to giving clients that extra edge, making a real difference to
their sales and future development.

consumer public relations

Spreckley Partners’ experience covers some of the UK’s and world’s leading brands - in food, drinks,
healthcare, home interest, consumer electronics, retail and leisure sectors. It is our understanding of how a
 brand works and the role creative ideas play in supporting and directing consumer choice that has made
our client work so successful.
[more about consumer PR]

business public relations

Spreckley Partners works with businesses and organisations of all sizes, ensuring that they get noticed in
their core marketplaces. Our creative PR will spread the word online and offline to build and defend the
reputation of your company, products and services, helping you generate new and repeat business.
[more about business to business PR]

technology public relations

Spreckley Partners delivers energetic, creative campaigns for IT clients that generate results on a national,
regional and global scale. We are equally at home working with the world’s biggest technology brands or
with early stage start-ups, targeting senior decision makers and analysts or informed technical experts. Our
team combines professional pride with unrivalled media knowledge to get you heard where it counts.
[more about technology PR]

Helping businesses succeed is our purpose. From strategic communications advice to hard hitting PR
programmes and more, we can add real value to your future.

Public Relations Specialists

• Nature of the Work
• Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement
• Employment
• Job Outlook
• Projections
• Earnings
• Wages
• Related Occupations
• Sources of Additional Information

Significant Points

• Although employment is projected to grow much faster than average,

keen competition is expected for entry-level jobs.
• Opportunities should be best for college graduates who combine a
degree in public relations, journalism, or another communications-related
 field with a public relations internship or other related work experience.
• Strong communication skills are essential.
Nature of the WorkAbout this section
An organization's reputation, profitability, and its continued existence can
depend on the degree to which its targeted public supports its goals and
policies. Public relations specialists—also referred to as communications
specialists and media specialists, among other titles—serve as advocates for
clients seeking to build and maintain positive relationships with the public.
Their clients include businesses, nonprofit associations, universities,
hospitals, and other organizations, and build and maintain positive
relationships with the public. As managers recognize the link between good
public relations and the success of their organizations, they increasingly rely
on public relations specialists for advice on the strategy and policy of their
communications.
Public relations specialists handle organizational functions, such as media,
community, consumer, industry, and governmental relations; political
campaigns; interest-group representation; conflict mediation; and employee
and investor relations. Public relations specialists must understand the
attitudes and concerns of community, consumer, employee, and public
interest groups to establish and maintain cooperative relationships between
them and representatives from print and broadcast journalism.

Public relations specialists draft press releases and contact people in the
media who might print or broadcast their material. Many radio or television
special reports, newspaper stories, and magazine articles start at the desks
of public relations specialists. Sometimes, the subject of a press release is an
organization and its policies toward employees or its role in the community.
For example, a press release might describe a public issue, such as health,
energy, or the environment, and what an organization does to advance that
issue.

Public relations specialists also arrange and conduct programs to maintain

contact between organization representatives and the public. For example,
public relations specialists set up speaking engagements and prepare
speeches for officials. These media specialists represent employers at
community projects; make film, slide, and other visual presentations for
meetings and school assemblies; and plan conventions.

In government, public relations specialists may be called press secretaries.

They keep the public informed about the activities of agencies and officials.
For example, public affairs specialists in the U.S. Department of State alert
the public of travel advisories and of U.S. positions on foreign issues. A press
secretary for a member of Congress informs constituents of the
representative's accomplishments.
In large organizations, the key public relations executive, who often is a vice
president, may develop overall plans and policies with other executives. In
addition, public relations departments employ public relations specialists to
write, research, prepare materials, maintain contacts, and respond to
inquiries.

People who handle publicity for an individual or who direct public relations
for a small organization may deal with all aspects of the job. These public
relations specialists contact people, plan and research, and prepare
materials for distribution. They also may handle advertising or sales
promotion work to support marketing efforts.

Work environment. Public relations specialists work in busy offices. The

pressures of deadlines and tight work schedules can be stressful.
Some public relations specialists work a standard 35- to 40-hour week, but
overtime is common, and work schedules can be irregular and are frequently
interrupted. Occasionally, they must be at the job or on call around the clock,
especially if there is an emergency or crisis. Schedules often have to be
rearranged so workers can meet deadlines, deliver speeches, attend
meetings and community activities, and travel.

As managers recognize the importance of good public relations, they

 increasingly rely on the advice of public relations specialists.
Training, Other Qualifications, and AdvancementAbout this
section
A bachelor’s degree in a communications-related field combined with public
relations experience is excellent preparation for a person interested in public
relations work.

Education and training. Many entry-level public relations specialists have

a college degree in public relations, journalism, marketing, or
communications. Some firms seek college graduates who have worked in
electronic or print journalism. Other employers seek applicants with
demonstrated communication skills and training or experience in a field
related to the firm's business—information technology, healthcare, science,
engineering, sales, or finance, for example.
Many colleges and universities offer bachelor's and postsecondary programs
leading to a degree in public relations, usually in a journalism or
communications department. In addition, many other colleges offer courses
in this field. Courses in advertising, business administration, finance, political
science, psychology, sociology, and creative writing also are helpful.
Specialties may be offered in public relations for business, government, and
nonprofit organizations.

Internships in public relations provide students with valuable experience and

training and are the best route to finding entry-level employment.
Membership in local chapters of the Public Relations Student Society of
America (affiliated with the Public Relations Society of America) or in student
chapters of the International Association of Business Communicators
provides an opportunity for students to exchange views with public relations
specialists and to make professional contacts that may help them to find a
full-time job after graduation.

Some organizations, particularly those with large public relations staffs, have
formal training programs for new employees. In smaller organizations, new
employees work under the guidance of experienced staff members. Entry-
level workers often maintain files of material about company activities, skim
newspapers and magazines for appropriate articles to clip, and assemble
information for speeches and pamphlets. New workers also may answer calls
from the press and the public, prepare invitation lists and details for press
conferences, or escort visitors and clients. After gaining experience, they
write news releases, speeches, and articles for publication or plan and carry
out public relations programs. Public relations specialists in smaller firms
usually get well-rounded experience, whereas those in larger firms become
more specialized.

Other qualifications. In addition to the ability to communicate thoughts

clearly and simply, public relations specialists must show creativity, initiative,
and good judgment. Decision-making, problem-solving, and research skills
also are important. People who choose public relations as a career should
have an outgoing personality, self-confidence, an understanding of human
psychology, and an enthusiasm for motivating people. They should be
assertive but able to participate as part of a team and be open to new ideas.
Certification and advancement. The Universal Accreditation Board
accredits public relations specialists who are members of the Public Relations
Society of America and who participate in the Examination for Accreditation
in Public Relations process. This process includes both a readiness review
and an examination, which are designed for candidates who have at least 5
years of full-time work or teaching experience in public relations and who
have earned a bachelor's degree in a communications-related field. The
readiness review includes a written submission by each candidate, a portfolio
review, and dialogue between the candidate and a three-member panel.
Candidates who successfully advance through readiness review and pass the
computer-based examination earn the Accredited in Public Relations (APR)
designation.
The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) also has an
accreditation program for professionals in the communications field,
including public relations specialists. Those who meet all the requirements of
the program earn the Accredited Business Communicator (ABC) designation.
Candidates must have at least 5 years of experience and a bachelor's degree
in a communications field and must pass written and oral examinations. They
also must submit a portfolio of work samples that demonstrate involvement
in a range of communications projects and a thorough understanding of
communications planning.

Employers may consider professional recognition through accreditation as a

sign of competence in this field, and such designations could be especially
helpful in a competitive job market.

Public relations specialists who show that they can handle more demanding
assignments are more likely to be promoted to supervisory jobs than those
who are unable to do so. In public relations firms, an entry-level worker
might be hired as a junior account executive and be promoted over the
course of a career to account executive, senior account executive, account
manager, and, eventually, vice president. Specialists in corporate public
relations follow a similar career path, although the job titles may differ.
Some experienced public relations specialists start their own consulting
firms. (For more information on public relations managers, see
the Handbook statement on advertising, marketing, promotions, public
relations, and sales managers.)
EmploymentAbout this section
Public relations specialists held about 275,200 jobs in 2008. They are
concentrated in service-providing industries, such as advertising and related
services; healthcare and social assistance; educational services; and
government. Others work for communications firms, financial institutions,
and government agencies.

Public relations specialists are concentrated in large cities, where press

services and other communications facilities are readily available and where
many businesses and trade associations have their headquarters. Many
public relations consulting firms, for example, are in New York, Los Angeles,
San Francisco, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. There is a trend, however,
toward public relations jobs to be dispersed throughout the Nation, closer to
clients.

Job OutlookAbout this section

Employment is projected to grow much faster than average; however, keen
competition is expected for entry-level jobs.
Employment change. Employment of public relations specialists is
expected to grow 24 percent from 2008 to 2018, much faster than the
average for all occupations. The need for good public relations in an
increasingly competitive and global business environment should spur
demand for these workers, especially those with specialized knowledge or
international experience. Employees who possess additional language
capabilities also are in great demand.
The recent emergence of social media in the public relations is expected to
increase job growth as well. Many public relations firms are expanding their
use of these tools, and specialists with skills in them will be needed.

Employment in public relations firms is expected to grow as firms hire

contractors to provide public relations services, rather than support more
full-time staff when additional work is needed.

Among detailed industries, the largest job growth will continue to be in

advertising and related services.

Job prospects. Keen competition likely will continue for entry-level public
relations jobs, as the number of qualified applicants is expected to exceed
the number of job openings. Many people are attracted to this profession
because of the high-profile nature of the work. Opportunities should be best
for college graduates who combine a degree in journalism, public relations,
or another communications-related field with a public relations internship or
other related work experience. Applicants who do not have the appropriate
educational background or work experience will face the toughest obstacles.
Additional job opportunities should result from the need to replace public
relations specialists who retire or leave the occupation for other reasons.

Priyanka Gaikwad’s data

PROJECT REPORT ON

Definition, nature and Scope of Public relation

Definition
The term Public Relations was first coined by the US President Thomas Jefferson. He used the term during his
address to Congress in 1807.
Precursors to public relations are found in publicists who specialized in promoting circuses, theatrical
performances, and other public spectacles. In the United States, where public relations has its origins, many
early PR practices were developed in support of the expansive power of the railroads. In fact, many scholars
believe that the first appearance of the term "public relations" appeared in the 1897 Year Book of Railway
Literature.
Edward Bernays is generally regarded today as the profession's founder. In describing the origin of the term
Public Relations, Bernays commented, "When I came back to the United States, I decided that if you could use
propaganda for war, you could certainly use it for peace. And propaganda got to be a bad word because of the
Germans.. using it. So what I did was to try to find some other words, so we found the words Council on
Public Relations".
One of the earliest definitions of PR was coined by Edward Bernays. According to him, "Public Relations is a
management function which tabulates public attitudes, defines the policies, procedures and interest of an
organization followed by executing a program of action to earn public understanding and acceptance. "
According to two American PR professionals Scott M. Cutlips and Allen H. Center, "PR is a planned effort to
influence opinion through good character and responsible performance based upon mutual satisfactory two-
way communication".
Public relations is the art and science of managing communication between an organization and its key
constituents to build, manage, and sustain its positive image.
Public relations is the process of aligning the perceptions of targeted audiences (or publics) with the current
realities and reasonable prospects of another entity.
Public relations is about building public relationships.
Public relations involves:
1. Evaluation of public attitudes and opinions.
2. Formulation and implementation of an organization's procedures and policy regarding communication with
its publics.
3. Coordination of communications programs.
4. Developing rapport and good-will through a two way communication process.
5. Fostering a positive relationship between an organization and its public constituents.

Examples include:
• Corporations use marketing public relations (MPR) to convey information about the products they
manufacture or services they provide to potential customers to support their direct sales efforts. Typically,
they support sales in the short and long term, establishing and burnishing the corporation's branding for a
strong, ongoing market.
• Corporations also use public-relations as a vehicle to reach legislators and other politicians, seeking
favorable tax, regulatory, and other treatment, and they may use public relations to portray themselves as
enlightened employers, in support of human-resources recruiting programs.
• Non-profit organizations, including schools and universities, hospitals, and human and social service
agencies, use public relations in support of awareness programs, fund-raising programs, staff recruiting, and
to increase patronage of their services.
• Politicians use public relations to attract votes and raise money, and, when successful at the ballot box, to
promote and defend their service in office, with an eye to the next election or, at career’s end, to their legacy.
PR has had many definitions over the years and since its early boom days of the 1980s has almost entirely
redefined itself. This is probably because most clients these days are far too media-savvy to think that fluffy
ideas and champagne parties constitute a good media service (of course this is a good thing, but we do still
like a good champagne party).
PR these days is often misunderstood, and it’s probably the fault of the PR industry itself that most people
aren’t sure where PR is supposed to stop and marketing, advertising, branding and all the other media
services begin.
Put very simply, good PR encourages the media (newspapers, magazines, TV and radio) to say good things
about your product/service or whatever it is that you want to promote so that more people buy your
product/use your services/think you’re great.
Of course, most PR companies have a team that will come from a mixture of media backgrounds and may be
able to offer all sorts of PR-related services such as branding, marketing, copywriting and advertising. That
can make defining pure PR all the more confusing for the client.

NATURE AND FORM OF PUBLIC RELATION

No one can provide a magic formula for figuring out what form and nature of PR and organization will need.
The approaches are many but the time constrains and budget limitation will prevent the organization or the
PR person from pursuing all the avenues at one and the same time. It would be sensible to decide about
specific jobs which are relevant to particular PR programmes for an organization.

In any kind of human activity may it be in industry, commerce, education, health, local government or social
service, they need to understand and use public relations and communication. Public relations involve two-
way communication between an organization and its public. It requires listening to the constituencies on
which an organization depends as well as analyzing and understanding the attitudes and behaviors of those
audiences. Only then can an organization undertake an effective public relations campaign.

Public relations should be seen as a management function in any organization. An effective communication, or
public relations, plan for an organization is developed to communicate to an audience (whether internal or
external publics) in such a way the message coincides with organizational goals and seeks to benefit mutual
interests whenever possible.
Form of communication that is primarily directed to image building and that tends to deal with issues rather
than specifically with products or services. Public relations uses publicity that does not necessitate payment in
a wide variety of media and is often placed as news or items of public interest.
It would be better to make a checklist to find out the exactly the organization wants and what the PR person
himself wants to achieve.
1) Extent of PR function

To what extent the organizations use public relation? The PR function should be recognized as central to good
management and able to act as a unifying force within the organization and in the way it’s itself. That way a
schedule of activity can become campaign and a campaign can become a programme.

2) Level of PR function

This depends on the nature of business or services being provided by the organization. The point to think is
corporations can be longer operating in an environment of confrontation. They must have the acceptance of
the government and the citizens. Moreover, in handling sensitive issues, corporate management cannot do
away with social, cultural, economic and political ethos existing in the community.

3) Target public

‘How to handle the target public’ is a frequently raised question for PR person. It has been acknowledged by
the management that the PR person is a necessary link between the management and the various publics
(audience). Fortunate this trust has arisen out of the services rendered by PR as a professional.

4) Maintaining goodwill

In the long run goodwill always pays. In the early days business and industry could function in total secrecy
without public scrutiny. In the present competitive society all sections of the economy i.e. private or public are
under constant public gaze. It is equally important to guard the reputation once earned.

5) Evaluation of work

PR person should always evaluate himself in his work environment. He should always appraise his own
competence, acknowledge potential weakness and thereafter seek expert advice. One should be aware of and
be sensitive to cultural environment or which one is working. While improving his professional capability a
public relation person has to recognize his organizations responsibility

6) General areas of objectives

It is mainly known as which and what are the particular PR objectives do we tend to achieve. It mainly
consists of changes we want to bring about. Terms like market standing, innovation, work performance and
attitude and Public responsibilities are mainly comes in PR.

7) Communication skills

Managing the strategy and skills of communication are an integral part of business policy and decision
making. Ultimately, PR is involved in the management of organization behavior and also of the public
important to them. PR decides about the methods and media of communication and when and how to use the
target public.

THE SCOPE OF PUBLIC RELATION

Public relation is a window of the corporation through which management can monitor external changes and
simultaneously a window through which society can affect corporate policy.

Today most social conflicts are caused by changing values and higher expectation from the superiors.

We find regular conflicts between employer-employee consumer-manufacturer, management-shareholders,

citizens-government and so on due to misconception and misunderstandings. These are generally the major
challenges where public relation practitioners can play a crucial role. They should get to know the psychology
of the public mind and acquire skill in solving and also avoiding such conflicts.

In our market economy there are information gaps which cannot be filled by the interaction of supply and
demand via . cost, wages or prices. Here public relations activity steps in. It provides relevant information on
planning technical and organizational developments, inventions and their potential utilization, etc.

The relations activity is becoming more and more important for the procurement of economically essential
production factors. It makes it easier to tap the money-market or financing their projects by issuing bonds or
shares.

If the corporation cultivates public relations, it is easier for them to acquire land from a community and bring
in own interest in harmony with these of the community. Today the
public relation profession has even entered into the fields of non-commercial organizations, government
departments, hospitals, universities and other non profit organizations. According to Edward L. Bernays, the
fundamental laws and the necessity of public relation may be expressed in three words, information,
adjustment and integration.

The scope of public relation is wide and also include political filed. Entrepreneurs, teachers, political leaders,
social workers, religions, leaders are all involved in public relations day in and day out.

In business public relation is tool of management like marketing, production and finance. It is investing and
creating asset for an organization which is finally reflected in improved performance profitability, and growth
of the organization.

Successful public relation can be measured by its ability to convert negative situations into positive ones.

Public relations can do the following:

(a) Help win friends, influence people, persuade individuals, groups and in difficult situation bring about
goodwill where needed and maintain goodwill where it is existing.

(b) Create and build up image and reputation of individual, organization and nation.

(c) Public relations can bring out reward of mutual understanding and risks involved in misunderstanding
between individuals, groups, government and nation.

(d) Help the public to love life and work for better or for worse without condition.

(e) Forestall attacks by opponents or competitors.

(f) Counsel employees to recognize that as human beings they are more of a complete structure.

(g) The possible areas where public relation plays its role. Promotional opportunity, new image, competitive
challenge, rumour, crisis, conflict of interest, ineffective communication.

CASE STUDY
AirDefense launched the wireless LAN security market in 2001 and today continues to provide the most
advanced solutions for rogue wireless detection, policy enforcement and intrusion prevention, both inside and
outside an organization’s physical locations and wired networks. Today, more than 500 enterprises and
organizations including Global 1000 corporations, government, healthcare, financial service and retail
organizations rely on the comprehensive suite of AirDefense solutions to protect their investment in deploying
wireless networks.

Business Challenge
In May 2004, AirDefense wanted to raise the visibility of the company at a time when the wireless LAN
detection industry was becoming crowded with several competitors. Increasing visibility on a consistent basis
would provide the sales team with media coverage and analyst commentary to further validate for customers
and prospects the comprehensiveness of AirDefense’s enterprise wide wireless LAN detection/prevention
platform.

PR Strategy to help Air defense.

• It would be beter to give leverage AirDefense’s pioneer status in the wireless LAN security market by
introducing the company and its founders to reporters/editors as the company that was the first in the
industry to realize the importance of securing wireless networks.

• It is also critical to push the “first-to-market” message with the media because the industry was getting
crowded with competitors and reporters could then easily differentiate between the “established” leader,
AirDefense, and the upstarts joining the market.

• It has to create a “drumbeat” approach with press releases, which included product news, new customers
and partnerships. It is also felt one way for AirDefense to stay ahead in the growing field was to keep the
company in the news on a regular basis. This required that a detailed press release schedule be planned out
three-to-four months in advance, so deadlines could be met and at a minimum three press releases be issued
each month.

• It can also begin positioning Founder, President and CEO and other C-level executives as experts in the
wireless LAN security market, and further positioned them to discuss the challenges facing companies
deploying wireless networks.

Functions of Public Relations

PR has several functions, which could be summarized as follows:

PR is a medium of communication between a company and its public (see Figure 1), which the company employs in
providing the public with products, services or ideas. Obviously, the main objection of PR is to provide the public with a
favorable image of the company/organization in question. The PR officer, manager or consultant is responsible to
senior officials and is expected to fulfill three basic tasks:

1. 1. To facilitate and ensure an inflow of representative opinions from the organization’s public so that
policies and activities will be tuned to the needs and views of the said public and to use this information in
counseling senior officials.
2. 2. To counsel senior officials on ways and means of maintaining or reshaping operations or
communication policies in order to gain maximum public acceptance.
3. 3. To devise and implement programs that will give a favorable impression of the organization and
guarantee widespread support of its policies and operations.

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PR people are often responsible for releasing news about the organization’s activities, products, etc. to the media, and
in some cases, to governmental agencies, schools, welfare, health and other agencies; in other words, they are
required to gain positive publicity for their organization. The main difference between publicity and news is that with
publicity, it is the sponsor who considers what is newsworthy, whereas with news, it is frequently the media and public
who decide. It does not necessarily follow that the media organization to which information is relayed will consider it
worthy of distribution.

PR work and fundraising are closely connected, with the former having a direct impact on the latter. For thousands of
private health, education, and welfare agencies, for example, fundraising – their lifeblood – relies primarily on effective
communications and PR. Similarly, trade associations, professional societies, and labor unions, whose funding is
usually acquired in the form of membership fees, also rely heavily on good communications in which the aims and
progress of the organization are always portrayed in a positive manner. For non-governmental organizations (NGOs),
fundraising and organizing membership drives are two of the most significant functions of their PR departments, and
the function of executive secretaries or directors, PR executives, and outside fundraising experts inevitably overlap
during the efforts to secure funding.

PR involves a considerable amount of research - opinion polls, questionnaires, etc. – which the PR person will refer to
whilst advising his superiors with regard to how the public are likely to perceive the organization’s policies or activities.
Research is also valuable in that it allows the organization to evaluate ongoing programs and to decide whether they
should be continued, revised or cancelled.

The most hectic part of a PR person’s job is related to the constant efforts to attract the attention of the mass media,
and in this respect, the PR person is actually playing the role of a press officer. Worthy of note is the fact that a very
thin line separates what is done to promote a product or service in the name of PR and what is done in the name of
marketing. As part of PR special events and services – such as operating a day-care center – are often organized. With
this kind of activity an organization aims to create mutual understanding with its public and be perceived in a positive
light.

A very important aspect of any PR person’s work is the responsibility he or she bears for defending the organization in
the event of a crisis such as a strike, or the spreading of damaging information concerning a service or product offered
by the organization capable of affecting its credibility or financial status. In short, the job of a PR person is to smother
the flame of the crisis before it turns into a fire.

When crises do arise, the PR person is usually obliged to work under various pressures, such as a lack of time,
information and qualified personnel. Most large organizations, however, have carefully planned emergency plans,
stipulating who does what and when, to be implemented at once should any crisis occur.

Public Relations Planning Format

The following seven basic steps can be distinguished when preparing a planning format for small and medium PR
programs:

1. 1. Summary:

In 10-15 lines (100-150 words), summarize the information that you have gathered as follows:

• • The most significant information

• • An analysis of the data
• • Options/alternatives

2. 2. The Problem and the Opportunity:

Before the PR program is planned, the problem should be identified in 3-4 lines. Next, in 4-5 lines you
should determine whether PR has a role to play in a particular situation. The five most favorable conditions
for achieving maximum potential effectiveness of a PR program are as follows:

1. 1. If consumers are in a mood to accept the information or the idea.

2. 2. If the opportunity exists to push customers to prefer the organization/company to another offering
similar services/ products.
3. 3. If the company/organization provides special services/ products that help build mental associations.
4. 4. The existence of a powerful emotional appeal.
5. 5. Adequacy of funds.
3. 3. The Objective:

Describe the objective in two lines only. In doing this, bear in mind the following: there should be only one
objective; the need to be single-minded; and the importance of including figures and percentages.

Ideally, each problem should have its own individual plan.

(Some planners decide upon the objective after analyzing the market.)

4. 4. Analysis of the Market Situation:

A key step in the planning process is known as analyzing the market, and many planners do not decide
upon the objective until they have completed this analysis. In analyzing the market, one should answer the
following questions:

1. 1. Where are we now?

2. 2. Why are we there?
3. 3. What is the target market?
4. 4. Where do we want to be?
5. 5. What ‘key’ can help us?
6. 6. What response do we want?

5. 5. Planning the Strategy:

When deciding upon which media to use, you should consider the options carefully and bear in mind that
you need to reach the maximum number of people at the minimum cost. It is also important to decide upon
the best time for beginning a campaign.

Before creating a ‘message’, answer the following questions:

1. 1. What goals do we seek to accomplish?

 2. 2. What kind of people do we target?
3. 3. How do those people perceive our company?
4. 4. What do we want those people to feel, think and do?
5. 5. What key thought could we put into those people’s minds to make them think, feel and
believe, as we want them to?
6. 6. What tone of voice will get those people to listen to and believe us?
7. 7. What slogans/theme would help in attracting people to our company?
8. 8. What would be the best idea to use?
9. 9. Who is/are the best person/s to endorse it?

6. 6. Budget:
Decide how much money you need to achieve the objective and prepare a budget accordingly

7. 7. Results and Evaluation